The final of seven rounds of voting over six weeks ended on Sunday and the counting of the saved ballots begins at 08:00 native time (02.30GMT.)

This election is seen as a referendum on Mr Modi, a polarising determine adored by many but in addition blamed for growing divisions in India.

A celebration or coalition wants ultimately 272 seats to safe a majority within the 543-member decrease home of parliament, or Lok Sabha.

In 2014, the BJP captured 282 seats – the largest victory by any get together in 30 years. The Congress, which gained simply 44, suffered its worst defeat.

This 12 months, there have been 900 million voters eligible to participate, making it the most important election the world had ever seen.

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The destiny of greater than eight,000 candidates and a few 670 political events hangs on the poll.

Outcomes can be launched in phases by the Election Fee – an image of who’s successful may emerge inside hours, or it may take longer relying on how shut the race is.

Remaining outcomes will not be anticipated till late on Thursday native time, or early Friday. Additional checks matching printed ballots towards digital voting machine outcomes may delay the method.

India votes 2019

Who’s more likely to win?

Mr Modi, together with his powerful picture, stays the BJP’s fundamental vote-getter. The get together and its allies may retain their majority, even when they lose some seats. Critics say guarantees of stellar financial progress and jobs haven’t been met, and India has turn into extra polarised alongside spiritual traces beneath his management.

His fundamental rival is Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who’s attempting to win over an India weary of his household’s dynastic grip on politics. The get together’s possibilities of successful a majority seem slim. It additionally didn’t sew up a pre-vote alliance in essential states within the east and the south – an indication of its waning affect, analysts say.

If neither of the 2 fundamental events can win an outright majority, highly effective regional events may play the function of kingmakers in a hung parliament.

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Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka should enhance on a dismal Congress efficiency final time

A string of exit polls all prompt this final result was unlikely and predicted a BJP win, however the forecasts have been rejected by the opposition.

It is usually stated that whoever wins Uttar Pradesh, wins the Indian election. The large northern state sends 80 MPs – greater than every other – to parliament. In 2014 the BJP gained 71 seats there. This time, a repeat efficiency appears removed from sure.

So the ruling get together is hoping to make up for any losses with beneficial properties in states akin to West Bengal, the place it holds simply two of the 42 parliamentary seats. Right here, the BJP is up towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – a contest that produced among the election’s fiercest exchanges.

4 of India’s 5 southern states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala – have lengthy eluded the BJP. Of the 91 seats in these states, the BJP holds simply 4. On this a part of the nation, the get together contests few seats, relying as an alternative on alliances with regional heavyweights.

How do you rely tons of of hundreds of thousands of votes?

Digital voting machines or EVMs have been utilized in three Indian basic elections earlier than this one. They save time and cash and outcomes come inside hours, slightly than the practically two full days it took when ballots have been tallied manually.

Every of India’s 1.7m EVMs report as much as 2,000 votes (the variety of registered voters at any given polling sales space doesn’t exceed 1,500) and 64 candidates. After being unsealed they’re individually inspected by counting employees and brokers, overseen by a returning officer.

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Media captionJourney of a vote

When she or he is glad voting machine has not been tampered with they press a button marked “end result”. The officer assesses the full variety of votes given to every candidate earlier than signing the outcomes sheet and sharing it with the Election Fee.

The EVMs are counted in batches, and outcomes launched in phases. The media report the ends in actual time as they emerge. Remaining outcomes on the Election Fee web site come later.

All of the machines now have printers producing voter-verifiable paper audit trails to make sure transparency.

Authorities will tally the paper path slips – that are stored in separate sealed bins – and evaluate them with the digital end result offered by the machine in at the very least 5% of polling cubicles. Election officers say this course of may delay ultimate outcomes by a few hours.

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What are the important thing points?

The financial system is maybe the largest challenge, with farming in disaster, unemployment on the rise and fears rising that India is heading for a recession.

A crop glut and declining commodity costs have led to stagnant farm incomes, leaving many farmers saddled with debt.

Beneath Mr Modi, the world’s sixth-largest financial system has misplaced a few of its momentum. Progress hovers round 7% and a leaked authorities report this 12 months stated the unemployment charge is the best it has been because the 1970s.

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India has seen big protests by farmers lately

Many additionally see this election as a battle for India’s id and the safety of minorities. A strident – and at instances violent – Hindu nationalism has turn into mainstream previously 5 years, with elevated assaults towards minorities, together with the lynchings of dozens of Muslims accused of smuggling cows.

And nationwide safety is within the highlight after a suicide assault by a Pakistan-based militant group killed at the very least 40 paramilitary police in Indian-administered Kashmir in February. India then launched unprecedented air strikes in Pakistan, prompting it to reply in sort and bringing the 2 nations to the brink of struggle.